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Chelsea assistant coach Arno Michels has jumped to the defense of Romelu Lukaku after yet another lackluster display from the Belgian forward.
Lukaku returned to Stamford Bridge in the 2021 summer transfer window but hasn't been able to recapture the form he showed at Inter last season. His explosive Sky Italia interview made things even worse. Although he has been a regular in the team since then, his performances have left a lot to be desired.
The latest in a series of sub-par outings came against Plymouth Argyle in FA Cup fourth round. The 28-year-old failed to find the back of the net as Chelsea had to wait until the first half of extra time to get one over the English third-tier side.
After the match, Blues assistant coach Michels jumped in support of Lukaku, claiming he had been a 'little bit unlucky.'
“He’s working a lot for the team, doing lots of touches, but is a little bit unlucky,” Michels said as quoted by Football London.
“We try to put him, give him opportunities and we will keep on going like this because he is an important player for us. He is our striker so he also needs some trust in moments he doesn’t score,” he added.
How Romelu Lukaku has fared upon Chelsea return
Romelu Lukaku has made 25 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions this season, scoring just eight goals in the process. He has also provided two assists but is nowhere close to the level he displayed for Inter last season.
The Belgian led from the front as the Nerazzurri won the 2020-21 Serie A title. He scored 30 goals for them in 44 appearances across all competitions, which prompted Chelsea to break the bank for him. However, the Blues haven't been able to see the towering forward's best yet.
Chelsea will want their primary attacking threat to turn things around as the top-four race in the Premier League heats up. They also have the Club World Cup to fight for, on top of the EFL Cup final against Liverpool. The Blues will face Lille in the Champions League Round of 16.
